Member Reviews (18)

The first hour is perfect, hell it's beyond perfect; the battle sequence is kind of a let-down that feels out of joint with the two train chases that provide the film with its ingenious symmetry -- and I think some critics are stretching a bit in calling this a critique of Southern values; if it is there, Keaton doesn't push it far enough (except for the gags that tear mercilessly into the uselessness of Southern belles).

Brilliant. Keaton is a master at timing, always under playing his lines just right, a physical comic. The special effects were really good, especially considering that they are breaking new ground as they went along. It is a tribute to the writer/director that the film did not seem very long at all. Kept my interest, produced plenty of chuckles. Slightly sexist, but not too bad. The quality of the film itself was surprising. Clear, clean. I'm still smiling.

Oh, oh, I am going to get in trouble here. But I didn't think this film was particularly funny at all. I can see it as perhaps being interesting as a period piece, like reading Catcher in the Rye, but to me it just seemed exagerated and stilted. My sorry to all Keaton fans; maybe I am just a philistine at heart.

All the hotshot action filmmakers and stars of today need to get together and build a giant marble statue of Buster Keaton and his Choo Choo Train. "The General" is more than a great comedy; it's a great chase film. In some ways, this is the prototype for the modern action-adventure comedy. Decades before the formula became processed junk food at the multiplex, Keaton engineered a high-energy chase movie that smoothly fuses the irreverent with the epic. “The General” keeps rolling along, entertaining generations of audiences, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

Buster Keaton pushed film comedy like no one else when he made this one. He meticulously recreated the Civil War setting. He mixed slapstick comedy with battlefield death. He hired thousands of extras and filmed what may be the single most expensive shot of the silent era (then used that shot as the setup for a gag whose punch line is a simple close-up). The result was a critical and commercial flop in 1926, but today it’s rightly considered one of the greatest comedies ever made.

I feel a little uncomfortable praising a Civil War comedy that asks us to root for the Confederates. After all, the South’s rebellion was an act of treason committed in defense of slavery. And yet, here I am, discussing the genius of a movie where the lovable hero proudly waves the Stars and Bars–clearly a cue for audience applause–in the climactic battle. On the other hand, as he waves, he steps on a “rock” that turns out to be the back of a cowardly Confederate officer. Buster Keaton, the film’s auteur as well as its star, wasn’t much interested in politics. But he sure enjoyed making fun of the military.

You can read my longer essay at http://bayflicks.net/2015/08/17/the-a-list-the-general-and-the-gold-rush/.

With its pacing, production value, and drama, it could be a modern movie. There are a couple of moments of movie magic as well: creative framing and movement in the background. I prefer Sherlock Jr.'s zany inventiveness, but this makes Buster Keaton a legend. The championing of the Confederacy is troublesome, but I think they set it in the South because it was based on an actual event, the Great Locomotive Chase.

Keaton is impressive, the story is fun and, what I often find annoying in other silent films, the need for dialogue is kept to a minimum. Also, Keaton never overacts his part. We may see him as a clown, but his character is earnest, honest and determined. This is the silent film for the silent film hater. However, other than its historical value and amazing scenes for the time, I don't think of it as a great film. Entertaining, yes. A must-see, no (other than for film buffs and students.)

Didn't think I would enjoy a "silent film". However, I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film and the sense of humor of Keaton. Although it showed the South and Keaton as the victors, as a Northerner or "damn Yankee" I still rooted for the Railroad engineer and his exploits.